Electric socket



Nov. 22, 1949 s. M. DEL CAMP 2,483,967

ELECTRIC socRET Filed Sept. 18, 1945 mj d J (fr/P150710 MDOWF.

Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PAT E NT F F 1 (IE ELECTRIC SOCKET 'Scipicne M. 'DcPCamp', Maywood, -Ill., assignor to Cinch Manufacturing Gorporation, Chicago, 111., abor oi-ationoi' Illinois Applicationseptember. 18, 1945, Serial no. 616,975

The present invention relates to electric sockets such as those employed for mounting vacuum tubes and the like and aims 'generally'to-improve existing sockets of that type.

One of the objects of the invention is the improvement of electric sockets for vacuum tubes and thelike of the so-calledlock in'type wherein one or more prongs of thetube or electrical device are locked in contacting positionin'the socket.

A. further object of "the invention'is'the improvement of the construction'of-ele'ctric sockets'of the lock-in type wherein "the distance between the locking point of the tube prong and'the top-surface of the sockets may be accurately controlled, insuring a proper locking oi thetubein the socket.

A further object of the invention-isto improve upon the construction'of lock-in socket disclosed in my co-pending applicationserial No.-'609;2l2, filed August 6, 1945.

The above and further objects o'f'the invention will be readily understood by persons skilled in the art from a'consideration of the-accompanying drawings and annexed specification illustrating and describing one preferred embodiment thereof.

-In-the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan viewof an electric socket as mounted upon a support, for example the chassis of a radio apparatus;

Fig.2 is a bottom planviewbfa-socketembodY- ing my invention;

Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the socket and mounting illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional viewo'f the-socket as taken'on the line 4-4 of Fig.2;

Fig. 5 is an enlargedvertical-sectional'viewof the socket and a portion of an attached tube as taken on the line-5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view-of the body portion of the socket as viewed from the underside thereof; and

Fig. '7 is a detail perspective view of 'the tube prong-locking device.

Referring to the drawings, thesocketmember preferably comprises a body 10 of suitable insulating material having an annular beat! 11 adjacent an upper-edge thereof to receive asaddle l2 by means of which-the-socket-may be attached toa support i3 such asa radio chassis plate, as by screw fastenings l4, rivets or the like.

The body of the-socket is provided with acentral aperture l5-opening throughthe topthereof but which is bridged by r a bottom wall 16 "preferably of predetermined thickness. The body III is also provided with the usual series of contact- 7 Claims. *(CL 173-328) receiving openings 1''! for the reception of a circular series -of "circuit prongs-of a vacuum tube or other electrical device, as is usual in the art. Itwill be understood that these circuit 'prongs'of the tube 26 engage in the contactwiththe socket contacts "25 mounted in the openings I! as is usual with such devices. provided with 'a central positioning and grounding'prong' 22 adapted to be positionedinthecentral opening l5 of thesocket, and if'desired, this prong 22'may'be shaped to fit in an irregularly shaped opening 15, for example, one provided.

with a keyway 1 5 (Fig; .1') to receive a key of theprong "22 so as to "prcperlyposition the tube in the socket and insure proper electrical "connection between respective tube "circuit prongs and circuit contacts. 4

The socket contacts '25'may be of anypreferred construction to receive and'make good electrical contact with thetube circuit prongs, 'and'preferably the contacts have terminal extensions 25 which'may be apertured or otherwise shaped to receive a wire 'or conductor (not shown) of the electrical circuit to which the socket is to .be 7

connected.

The bottom I6 of the socket bore l5 is1preferably spaced a substantial distance below the top surface of the socket and below the main body portion-of the so'cketwiththe tube circuit prongengaging contacts 25. This may be "effected by forming the socket 'body I B with a central de pending tubular extension or post '30 having a central bore 36* in continuation with the bore [5 of the socket'body 10, This bore i3l] "doesno'tj "extend through the end of the extension that the bottom wall l6is thus formed.

The extension 30 is. provided with opposed grooves "or passages 3l cut in the sides thereof and extendingfrom thebottom l6 fora distance" preferably slightly inwardly of the bottom [6. These grooves communicate with the bore 30 and thus present opposed side openings'iizin the extension between the bottom It and main body portion ill-of thesocket. I

The invention provides a tub'e prong locking.

device, preferably for the central positioning prong '22 which maybe formed with an annular groove 23 near its free end and preferably the locking device is in the form of a sheet metal fastener member mounted on the "bottom l6 and capable of providing'an electrical grounding connectionfor the tube 20.

In the illustrated form of the invention "(see Figs.-4, 5 and 7) "the-tube locking device com-' =pr'ises a fastener of generally U-shaped configu- The tube 20 may be ration having a bight or bridge portion 36 and opposed upwardly extending resilient legs or fingers 31 formed with looking faces 38 adapted for snap fastener locking engagement with the prong groove 23. The fastener 35 may be attached to the bottom wall (6 by any suitable means such as by integral legs 39 cut from the legs 31 and clinched over the inner face of the bottom wall It.

The fastener 35 may be provided with an integral wiring terminal 40 depending from the bridge portion 36 for connection with an electrical conductor (not shown) whereby the tube may be grounded through locking contact between the prong 22 and fastener 35.

A tube 20 or other electric device is mounted in the socket in the usual manner, the particular shape of the positioning prong 22 conforming to the noncircular shape of the bore Iii--15 to insure proper electrical engagement of the tube circuit prongs with their respective socket contacts 25. In its full engaged position the end of the positioning prong 22 will be engaged by the locking fingers 31, the portions 38 of which engage in the groove 23 of the prong 22 with a snap fastener action. This securely locks the tube in the space in the socket. Inasmuch as the tube prong 22 is usually of metal and is connected to the base or casing of the tube, the locked engagement between the tube prong and the fastener provides an adequate electrical contact so that the tube may be grounded through the fastener by means of a suitable conductor (not shown) connected to the wiring terminal 80.

From the above it will be apparent that the invention provides a simple, readily manufactured and assembled lock-in type socket, providing a-positive snap-fastener lock for the tube prong, while maintaining the locking point a maximum predetermined distance from the upper face of the socket. The construction also provides an effective ground connection for the tube where such grounding is desired.

Although I have described one preferred form of the invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby because the scope of my invention is best defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An electric socket for pronged vacuum and like tubes including a body of insulating material, said body formed with a central opening extending from the upper surface of said socket body to near the opposite end of the central portion forming a relatively deep central bore and a bottom wall of insulating material for said bore, said body provided with passages adjacent an outer surface of said bottom wall and communicating with said bore, and a U-shaped fastener means having a bight portion engaging an outer surface of said bottom wall and opposed resilient locking fingers extending through said passages into said bore for locking engagement with a tube prong inserted therein.

2. An electric socket for pronged vacuum and like tubes including a body of insulating material,

bottom wall, said post being further provided with said body formed with a central opening extending from the upper surface of said socket body to near the opposite end of the central portion formfastener-receiving passages communicating with said bore, a fastener mounted on said bottom wall and having a bridge portion engaging the outer face thereof and opposed resilient locking fingers extending through said passages into said bore adapted for snap fastener locking engagement with a tube prong inserted therein, and means integral with said fastener for engagement with the inner face of said bottom wall for securely attaching said fastener thereto.

4. An electric socket for pronged vacuum and liketubes comprising a body of insulating material formed with a central depending post and having a central opening extending from the upper surface of the body to near the bottom of said post forming a prong-receiving bore and a bottom wall, said post being further provided with fastener-receiving passages communicating with said bore, a fastener mounted on said bottom wall and having a bridge portion engaging the outer face thereof and opposed resilient looking fingers extending through said passages into said bore adapted for snap fastener locking engagement with a tube prong inserted therein, and lugs integral with said locking fingers for engagement with the inner face of said bottom wall for securely attaching said fastener thereto.

5. An electric socket for pronged vacuum and like tubes comprising a body of insulating material formed with a central depending post and having a central opening extending from the upper surface of the body to near the bottom of said post forming a prong-receiving bore and a bottom wall, said post being further provided with fastener receiving passages communicating with said bore and passing through said bottom wall, and a fastener member mounted on said bottom wall having a bridge portion engaging the outer face thereof and opposed resilient locking fingers extending through said passages into said bore adapted for snap fastener locking engagement with a tube prong inserted therein and lugs integral with said locking fingers for engagement with the inner face of said bottom wall for securely attaching said fastener thereto.

6. A lock-in socket for pronged electrical tubes and the like comprising a body of insulating material having an annular series of contact-receiving openings open through the top thereof and a central lock-prong-receiving bore, a wall bridging the bottom of said bore, a plurality of prongreceiving contacts mounted in said openings and adapted to receive and establish electrical contact with a plurality of prongs inserted into said openings from the top of said body, a U-shaped member inserted in said bore from the bottom of said body and having the bight portion thereof underlying said bore bottom wall, the terminal end-portions of said U-shaped member provided with prong-locking means disposed in said bore in predetermined spaced relation between the top of said body and the bore bottom wall.

7. A lock-in socket for prongecl electrical tubes and the like comprising a body of insulating material having an annular series of contact-receiving openings open through the top thereof and a central lock-prong-receiving bore, a plurality of prong-receiving contacts mounted in said openings and adapted to receive and establish electrical contact with a plurality of prongs inserted into said openings from the top of said body, a wall bridging the bottom of said bore and having an opening on each side thereof, a lock-prong fastener member having portions thereof insertable through said openings and into said bore from the bottom of said body, and

means for attaching said member to said bore 15 bottom wall to limit movement thereof in a direction toward the top of said body.

SCIPIONE M. DEL CAMP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 2,004,105 Farish, Jr. June 11, 1935 2,025,564 Blake Dec. 24, 1935 2,033,765 Franke Mar. 10, 1936 2,294,880 Alden Sept. 8, 1942 2,321,470 Draving June 8, 1943 

